Local device name is already in use - problem saving file on network drive

I log on to my workstation as a workgroup using the same domain name.  The reason for that is since I'm the IT admin here I don't need to go through the GOP and other authentication stuff so my logon is quicker.  Also, configuring my workstation settings is easier.  I use the same user name and password to log on to my workstation as my account in the domain; therefore I don't have any problem accessing any network resources.  Would this logon method cause the problem?

I think I read somewhere before that if the workstation and server time are too off, you can get problems.  I have an atomic time program on the domain controller and my workstation and I checked the times and they're within 2 seconds.  I'm not sure I'm on track here with what you are talking about.

You're right about the red-cross problem on the mapped drives.  I've had this problem forever.  If I access the driver, sometimes the mark would go away and other times not and I would see the red X mark sometimes or not (very inconsistent).  It never affected any network drive accessing.

Are you suggesting if I logon on to the domain and if my time is in sync with the server, should solve this problem?  Thanks.

Yes, see if you have logged onto the domain or you just logged on locally and you're trying to access the resources on the domain controller (using the same username and password).

With the red-cross, it's just a refresh problem with Windows Explorer. When the problem happens ("connection restore problem" message), does the H: drive have a red cross? Does it only come up once and then when you hit save again, there are no more messages?

Thanks for your response.  I will try this on a domain log on workstation and get back.  I don't recall seeing the "connection restore problem" message before.  The error message will come up repeatedly when saving, and then will go away at a later time (hard to say how long).  I wish there is a way to just edit the registry or something else so the error message doesn't come up.  I can save just fine after all.

Something weird about this red X thing I just noticed.  I looked at a mapped drive and did not see the X and when I click on it, the folder accessed fine.  I saw all contents come up and then the red X appeared.

TO supress popup messages in Windows, check the link below

http://www.winguides.com/search.php?guide=registry&keywords=popup

I'm not sure if these registry tweaks will supress the kind of popup you're facing, but it's worth a try. I use those tweaks to surpress "Your laptop is running out of battery" and "One or more device drivers failed to start" messages. Maybe this will help you too.

That red-cross thing is playing up quite weird. Can you unmap the drive and map it again, or map it using a different drive letter? (Some of your applications might break if they use a hard-letter drive mapping)

I've been trying to test various methods to cure this problem.  As you can imagine, setting up a consistent test environment is difficult.

Logging to a domain and not just a workgroup probably fixed the problem.  I talked to domain logged on users and they said they don't have any problems saving files on network drives.

The red X mark has to do with a default Windows setting.  Windows automatically disconnect mapped drives after 15 minutes of inactivity by default.  You can change this setting in the registry.

Still testing the suppress popup tweak.

Alright, good luck with the testing. Yeah, that red X is because of the long period of inactivity and when the user double-clicks on the drive mapping, it usually re-establishes the connection to the server. So you shouldn't have to see that error message about the connection not being restored. Maybe you can make changes to the domain policy and change that setting to something a little longer (maybe an hour or so).

Let me know how you do with the "popup thingy"

I have had the same problem! If I leave my laptop for 5 minutes or more, I get red X's on all the network drives. If I then click once on each drive (to select it, but not open it), then press F5 to refresh, the red X's dissappear!

I have traced the problem and got rid of it too!!!

I re-installed all the software, and found that the problem only started happening after I installed Roxio Easy CD Creator 5!

I removed it, and it hasn't happened since... After checking this around the net for a while, I can't find any solution, apart from using another piece of writing software.

I hope this helps!!!

Interesting comment.  I do happen to have Easy CD 5 installed.  That would be weird if Easy CD was the problem.

Hope all goes well with the testing... I can now say that since removing Easy CD Creator this morning, my PC has not dropped the connections once! Yihaa! I have had this problem for around 6 months now!
The thing that brought me to this resolve was the fact that my old laptop at work was passed to a colleague, who removed easy CD creator without me knowing until today, and he has never seen the problem. After checking many more forums today, it seems that the new version 6 also has some issues too, so I'm not going to try that version either!

I'm hoping that Nero will be the answer, as I have not had any issues in the past with it anyhow.

Let me know how you get on!

Hi,
i have the same "problem" on my W2k, but i don´t have any burning software installed. This behaviour was happens after some of automatic updates of windows, one hotfix, but i don´t know which...

I had this problem begin when I installed Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition 8.0.  This is a Symantec bug for me.  When I un-install the Symantec Antivirus client at the workstation, the red x's go away.  For me at least.

Here is an update on my own problem.

I build a new computer and installed Windows XP Pro SP1.  Network mapping and drives are the same.  All other applications are basically the same.  I do not have Easy CD installed anymore.  I use the Windows XP default copy program to copy files to CDs and CDRWin to copy CDs.  I have Norton Antivirus 2003 installed.

I have had no problems in the past 3 months with this network error message.  I also never see the red X mark anymore.